PREPS / FOOTBALL PLAYOFF PAIRINGS : Bishop Amat, Eisenhower Top Seeded in Division I

The Southern Section set the field Sunday for a Division I championship football game between undefeated La Puente Bishop Amat and Rialto Eisenhower.

Bishop Amat and Eisenhower, each 10-0, are seeded No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the 16-team bracket. The playoffs begin Friday and end Dec. 10.

By putting the teams in opposite brackets, however, section officials know an eventual matchup could create problems. The Division I final was recently moved from Anaheim Stadium to Cerritos College, which holds 13,000.

Two years ago, an undefeated Eisenhower team played once-beaten Santa Ana Mater Dei in the Division I final before 33,204 at Anaheim Stadium. Mater Dei won, 35-14.

A Bishop Amat-Eisenhower game would probably draw similar interest. The teams are considered the best in the state and among the best in the nation.

The title game was moved to save the section $15,000 in rental fees. Officials figured since the game was going to be televised live on Channel 13 many fans would stay home and watch it.

“Looking at most of our title games in the past, Cerritos College would have been ample for most,” said Bill Clark, the Southern Section administrator in charge of football.

Pairings were released Sunday in 11 divisions. All are 16-team brackets, expect Division XI, which has eight teams.

Along with Bishop Amat and Eisenhower, Division I also includes third-seeded Quartz Hill (10-0) and fourth-seeded Long Beach Poly (9-1), which lost to Eisenhower, 12-6.

In Division II, top-seeded Los Alamitos (10-0) will have to battle such teams as Paramount (10-0), Huntington Beach (10-0) and Newhall Hart (9-1) if it is to retain its title.

Newbury Park (10-0), considered one of the top teams in the state, is No. 1 in Division III.